Zhai Xinjian was born in Tianjin City, close to Beijing, in 1950. He entered the Middle School of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing, in 1966, but his education was interrupted by the Cultural Revolution and he did not resume his studies until 1977. He graduated 
from the Central Academy of Fine Arts in 1981 and he is now a professor in its Oil Painting Department. Throughout his career, Zhai Xinjian has used as his subject ballet dancers. He has been recognized for his sensitive studies by museums and collectors internationally.
Nude, 1985
Oil on Canvas
28" x 19 1/2" (71.1cm x 49.5cm)About this work
Zhai Xinjian possesses the ability as a painter to illustrate the beauty and soft color of skin that could never be duplicated in photographs. In this wonderfully serene nude study, the artist has used a soft light that produces no shadows, emphasizing the form of the figure. The background color he has chosen compliments the model’s skin. The only real contrast in the picture is provided by the black hair of the woman.
Ancient Mural, 1987
Oil on Canvas
40" x 32" (101.6cm x 81.3cm)About this work
In this sensitive portrait of Zhai Xinjian’s wife, the artist has placed her against a well-known ancient Chinese mural that has become referenced by many contemporary Chinese oil painters in works produced since the mid-1980’s. By using the figure in the mural in close proximity to the subject, Zhai Xinjian links the past with the present.
Resting Nude-Blue, 1987
Oil on Canvas
28" x 40" (71.1cm x 101.6cm)About this work
It is often difficult to choose a background that compliments a female nude because of the delicate color of the model’s skin. In this example, Zhai Xinjian has selected a dark blue that provides, instead, a definite contrast and isolates the figure almost as if it were floating. The result is quite effective in getting the viewer to focus on the soft contours of the body.
